Gun



H. A. DOUGLAS.

GUN.

APPLICATION FILED ocT. 24, 1917.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

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H. A. DOUGLAS.

GUN.

PPLICATION FILED OCT. 24| 1917.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

'4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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GUN.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 24, 1917.

1,337,444, Patented Apr. 20, I1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

HARRY A. DOUGLAS, OFJBBONSON, MICHIGAN.

GUN'.

Specification of L etters Patent.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

Application led October 24, 1,917. Serial No. 198,340.

To all 'whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, HARRY A. DOUGLAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bronson, in the county of Branch and State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Guns, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

My invention relates to guns and has a num er of objects and advantages in View. In carrying out my invention I provide means for moving a gun charge in the gun barrel against the firing pin or other abutment of the gun to explode the charge.

In the specific embodiment of the invention herein disclosed the explosion of the charge is effected by the mechanicaLconcussion of 'a priming portion of the charge against a ring pin but I do not wish to be limited to the explosion of the charge by concussive action.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the gun barrel is movable rearwardly of the gun by a spring to bring the gun charge that is in the barrel against the firing abutment. The gun barrel is movable forwardly as a result of the explosion of the gun charge and against the force of the spring automatically to adjust the spring to enable the spring again to move the barrel rearwardly to move a succeeding charge in the barrel against the firing abutment to explode such'succeeding charge. The gun charges may be automatically loaded in the gun and automatically exploded in succession but if it is desired manually to control the times of explosion of the charges a trigger may be employed that is automatically engageable with the barrel when the barrel is in its forward position to prevent the spring from functioning` this trigger to be pulled each time a charge is to be exploded and being held in its pulled position if the charges are to be automatically exploded in succession.

I also provide a magazine that is swingingly mounted upon the gun to extend along the gun barrel or at an angle thereto.

I will explain my inventionl more fully by reference to the accompanying drawings showing preferred embodiments thereof and in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a gun constructed in accordance with the invention, the gun being shown as just about to fire a charge; Fig.

2 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating the gun ust after a charge has been exploded an the gun barrel has been broughtto its foremost position by the explosive action of the charge; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the gun barrel returned but caught by the trigger to 'prevent the charge in the barrel from striking the liring pin; Fig. 4 shows the result of pullin the trigger from the position .shown in Iig. 3, the parts then being positioned as illustrated in Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a View on line 5--5 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5a is a perspective view illustrating a part of a cartridge holder that may be dropped over the magazine for supplying ythe reserve cartridges in the cartridge holder to the magazine; Fig. 6 is a view on line 6-6 of Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is a side View of a part of the gun illustrating the preferred mounting for a magazine; Fig. 8 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 7; Fig. 9 illustrates, in longitudinal section, a cartridge constituting one form of charge for the gun; Fig. 10 is a view on line 10-1() of Fig. l; Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a primer receiving socket; Figs. .12 and 13 show other forms of cartridges in longitudinal section and contiguous gun parts; Fig. 14 is a longitudinal sectional View of a modified form of gun, the gun being shown as just about to re a charge; Fig. 15 is a View similar to Fig. 14 excepting that the parts are in the position shown after the charge has been ired, the Igun barrel being in its foremost position; ig. 16 is a view on line 16-16 of Fig. 14; and Fig. 17 illustrates another form of primer receiving socket.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the dierent figures.

The gun barrel 1 is movable longitudinally of the gun within the tubular continuation 2, of the gun stock 3. The barrel has a sliding fit within a bushing 4 screwed Within the forward end of the tubular stock continuation 2 and directly with such stock continuation at the rear. A spring 5 is interposed between the bushing 4 and a shoulder 6 upon the gun barrel, this barrel being of reduced diameter between this shoulder and the forward end of the barrel to afford a cylindrical space between the barrel and the stock continuation 2, in which space the spring 5 is received. The gun may be held in non-firing adjustment (Fig. 3') by means of a triggerstructure having a gun bar rel engaging detent 8 that is en fageable wlth the lower rear rtion 9 of t e gun barrel and when engaging this portion 9 of the gun barrel the trigger detent 8 holds the barrel in a forward position against the force of the spring 5. A core 10 is in sliding fit with the bore 11 of the gun barrel, this core being forwardly spring pressed in the non-firing adjustment of the gun by means of a colled spring 12 interposed between a shoulder 13 formed in the stock and a shoulder 14 upon and near the rear end of the core. The extent to which the core is forwardly s ring pressed is limited by a key 15 that 1s received in a groove 16 formed in the core '10, this key also limiting the extent to whlch the core may be rearwardly moved agalnst the force of the spring 12. The cartri ge 17 or other gun charge 1s supplied to the bore of the gun barrel in any referred way. The rear or primer end of t e cartridge, forms of which are shown in Figs. 9, 10, 12 and 13 later to be more fully described, is receivable within a primer receiving socket 18 carried by and at the forward end of the core and normally positioned forward of the firing abutment. The firing abutment of the gun is shown as being in the form of a firing pin 19 that is received in the bore that is formed in the core. The firing pin has an enlarged rear threaded end 20 that is in threaded engagement with the stock of the gun whereby the firing pin is normally held stationary but is adjustable longitudinally of the gun, the firing pin and core being in alinement with the bore of the gun barrel that receives them. When the gun is to be discharged the trigger operating lever 21 is pulled to release the trigger detent 8 from engagement with the gun barrel whereu on the spring 5 is distended and presses t e gun barrel rearwardly. The n barrel, in its rearward movement, carries the cartridge rearwardly with it, the shoulder 22 upon the gun barrel engaging the shoulder 23 upon the core when the gun barrel has nearly reached its rearmost position to force sufficient rearward movement of the core against the pressure of the spring 12 to cause the forceful projection of the forward end of the firin pin into the primer receiving socket 18, wliereupon the firing pin engages the primer end of the cartridge to cause the cartridge discharging explosion. The barrel is movable forwardly by the explosive force of the charge in the cartridge and against the force of the spring 5 whereby the spring is automatically compressed or otherwise adjusted to restore power therein that is to be employed in again moving the barrel rearwardly to cause a succeeding explosion for discharging a succeeding cartridge in the manner that has been described. As is apparent, the gun barrel and the coreare each movable longitudinally of the other and when the gun barrel is being moved to a forward position the sprin 12 will ush the core forward to a position limited y the key 15, the gun barrel continuing farther in its forward movement so that there is a wide separation between the shoulder 22 upon the gun barrel and the shoulder 23 upon the core when the gun is in the non-firing` adjustment shown in Fig. 3. The trigger detent 8, when not manuall withhe1d,.is automatically engageable with the rear portion 9 of the barrel when it is in its forward position whereby the barrel is held in the forward position illustrated in 3 against the force of the spring 5. l en the trigger is pulled the trigger detent 8 will be disengaged by the barrel portion 9 whereupon the spring 5 will move the barrel rearwardly with the results which have been described.'

If the cartridges are automatically fed to the gun barrel at a (proper rate they may be automatically explo ed successive] by keeping the trigger pulled to prevent t e trigger detent'from engaging the portion 9 of the gun barrel each time the gun barrel is moved forwardly upon the discharge of a cartridge.

/ The trigger lever 21 has pin and slot connection 24 with the stock of the gun and has interengagement with the trigger detent at the forward ends of the detent and lever whereby the trigger detent may be pulled downwardly out of engagement with the barrel. The spring 25 serves to place the trigger dentent in position to engage the gun barrel when the trigger lever is not pulled and also then serves to eiect interengagement between the trigger detent and trigger lever. The trigger detent has pin and slot connection 26 wlth the gun stock and is engaged by a forwardly spring pressed plunger 27 that takes part in defining the gun barrel engaging position of the trigger detent and coperates with the spring 25 for this purpose. The tri ger structure illustrated is such that if the trigger lever is slightly pressed back there will be but one firing of the gun but if the trigger lever is pressed clear back the ex losion of the cartridges will be automatically repeated. The spring 12 acts, through the core 10, to cushion the barrel and stop it in its rearmost position but the spring does not fully perform this function until the firing pin has been projected with suiiicient force forwardly of the core and into the primer receiving socket 18 to explode the cartridge.

The cartridge may be of any suitable construction, some forms being illustrated in Figs. 9, 10, 12, 13, 14 and 15. The forms of cartridge shown in Figs. 9, 10, 12 and 13 are adapted for use in the gun illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive. In the form of cartridge shown in Fig. 9 the missile portion thereof is hollow to receive the explosive powder 28. The priming charge 29 is inclosed within an oiled paper or liber primer container 30 that will burn when the cartridge is exploded. This container is interengaged with the rear end of the metal `or ball portion of the cartridge structure at the" forward end of the primer. The container 30, being of oiled paper or fiber, will be burned or otherwise dissipated and will be removed from the primer socket and the gun barrel as a resultof the explosion of the cartridge having such a primer, on which account no special means need be employed for removing'shells or other remnants of the cartridges when such cartridges are made merely of the ball portion, the exploding element, and the destructible primer casing. In the form shown in Fig. 12 the metal portion of the cartridge is outwardly7 bulged as indicated at 31 and as this bulglng part of the metal portion of the cartridge is thin it willpreadily be collapsed to issue from the barrel with the balance of the metal portion of the cartridge. The purpose of the bulge 31 is to engage the shoulder 22 at the time the Vfiring pin strikes the primer to afford resistance against forward movement of the cartridge by the firing pin until the cartridge has been exploded. In the form of cartridge shown in Fig. 13 there is an enlargement 32 performing the function of the enlargement 31 of the cartridge shown in Fig. 12 and there is also shown an anvil 33 of metal or other suitable substance to hold the priming charge While receiving the impact of the firing pin.

In Figs. 14 and 15 the cartridges have shells 34 that stay in the gun after the cartridges have been exploded. A rear portion of the gun barrel is shaped correspondingly to the shells and has a lower slot 35 into which a shell automatically drops (Fig. 15) after each cartridge explosion and while the gun barrel is in its forward position as a result of the explosion. YVhen the gun barrel moves rearwardly the shell will drop out through the slot 3G formed in the gun stock. In each form of gun illustrated there is an opening 37 in the side of the gun barrel that communicates with the bore of the barrel and which opening, in the rear position of the barrel, is separated by the core 10 from the bore of the barrel and which opening is then in communication with the discharge chute 38 of a magazine. if a magazine is eml ployed, to permit a cartridge to pass from the magazine into said opening and into resting engagement with the core. The core is to the rear ofsaid opening when the barrel is in its forward position to permit of the transferof the cartridge from said opening to the bore of the barrel, the priming end of the cartridge then falling into engagement with the socket 18. The core is then forwardly spring pressed to serve as a guard to cover the firing pin.

The magazine is preferably pivotally mounted at 39 upon a side of the gun stock, there being a pivot screw 40 screwed into the gun stock and upon and with respect to which the magazine may be turned. A; spring 41 is interposed between the head of the screw 40 and the magazine to maintain* the magazine and gun stock in'y assembly. The magazine has three insetting 4beveled edge portions 42 arranged along three sides of a rectangle and engageable with the correspondingly beveled portions 43 upon the gun stock. The magazine may be turned 90 tov place the magazine in the working position shown in full lines in Fig. 7, this working positionbeing one in which the magazine is perpendicular to the gun barrel and extending above the same, or in the idle position shown by the dot and dash lines in this figure, in which idle position, the maga-` zine extends along the barrel, engagement of the beveled edge portions 42 being shifted from the beveled portions 43 engaged there by to other of these beveled ortions 43. The magazine chute 38 may e provided with cartridge retaining springs to prevent chute and to permit the cartridge holder 381 to be passed downwardly off the chuteinasmuch as there is no obstruction to such a movement of the cartridge holder 381 owing to the offset location of the chute with respect to the balance ofthe gun. The Vcartridge holder 381 may have a. leaf spring 382 at its lower end and a leaf spring 383 at its upper end. The lower spring 382 keeps the cartridges from normally falling out of the holder. Vhen the cartridge holder is placed on the upper end of the cartridge chute the spring 382 is laterally moved from beneath the cartridges to permit them to fall into the chute. The top spring 383 prevents the cartridges from being moved upwardly out of the holder as the holder is being moved downward, this spring yielding when the top of the holder is flush with the topl of the chute to permit the holder to be moved downwardly off the chute.

While I have herein shown and particularly described the preferred embodiment of my invention I do not wish to be limited vto the precise details of construction'shown as changes may readily be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, but

iso

having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent the following 1. A gun having a barrel movable longitudinally of the gun and a spring for moving the barrel rearwardly to move the gun charge in the gun barrel a ainst the tiring abutment ofthe gun to exp ode the charge; in combination with a magazine for the gun charges and a core in the barrel and along which core the barrel is movable, said barrel having an opening in its side that communicates with the bore of the barrel and which opening, in the rear position of the barrel, is separated by said core from the bore of the barrel and which opening is then in communication with said magazine to permit the gun charge to pass from the magazine into said opening and into engagement with said core, this core being to the rear of said opening when the barrel is in its forward position to permit of the transfer of the gun charge from said opening to the bore of the barrel.

2. A gun having a barrel movable longitudinally of the gun and a spring for moving the barrel rearwardly to move the gun charge in the gun barrel against the firing abutment of the gun to explode the charge, said barrel being movable forwardly by the explosive force of the charge and against the force of said spring automatically to adjust the spring to enable it again to move the barrel rearwardly to move a succeeding charge in the barrel against the firing abutment of the gun to explode the succeeding charge; in combination with a magazine for the gun charges and a core in the barrel and along which core the barrel is movable, said barrel having an opening in its side that communicates with the bore of the barrel and which opening, in the rear position of the barrel, is separated by said core from the bore of the barrel and which opening is then in communication with said magazine to permit a gun charge to pass from the magazine into said opening and into engagement with said core. this core being to the rear of said opening when the barrel is in its forwardposition to permit of the transfer of the gun charge from said opening to the core of the barrel.

3. A gun having a barrel movable longitudinally of the gun; a spring for moving the barrel rearwardly to move the gun charge in the gun barrel against the firing abutment of the gun to explode the charge; and a trigger automatically engageable with said barrel when the barrel is in its forward position to prevent the spring from functioning, in combination with a magazine for the gun charge and a core in the barrel and along which core the barrel is movable, said barrel having an opening in its side that communicates with the bore of` the barrel an'cl"wh ich opening, in the rear position of the barrel, is separated by said core from the bore of the barrel and which opening is then in communication with said magazine' to permit a gun charge to pass from the magazine into said opening and into engagement with said core, this core being to the rear of said opening when the barrel is in its forward position to permit of the transfer ofthe gun charge from said opening to the bore of the barrel.

4. A gun having a barrel movable longitudinally of the gun; a spring for moving the barrel rearwardly to move the charge in the gun barrel against the firing abutment of the gun to explode the charge, said barrel being movable forwardly by the explosive force of the charge and a ainst the force of said spring automatical y to adjust the spring to enable it 'again to move the barrel rearwardly to move a succeeding charge in the barrel against the firing abutment of the gun 'to explode the succeeding charge; and a trigger automatically engageable with said barrel when the barrel is in its forward position to prevent the s ring from functioning, in combination with a magazine for the gun charges and a core in the barrel and-along which core the barrel is movable, said barrel having an opening in its side that communicates with the bore of the barrel and which opening, in the rear position of the barrel, is separated by said core from the bore of the barrel and which opening is then in communication with said magazine to permit a gun charge to pass from the magazine into said opening and into engagement with said core, this core being to the rear of said opening when the barrel is in its forward position to permit of the transfer of the gun charge from said openig to the bore of the barrel.

1'). tudinally of the gun and a spring for moving the barrel rearwardly to move the gun charge in the gun barrel against the firing abutment of the gun to explode the charge; in combination with a magazine for the gun charge and a forwardly1 spring pressed core in the barrel and along which core the barrel is movable, said core carrying a primer receiving socket at its forward end that is positioned forward of the firing abutment, the core being rearwardly movable. upon rearward movement of the gun barrel, with respect to the firing abtument to permit the rearwardly moved gun charge to engage the firing abutment, said barrel having an opening 1n its side that communicates with the bore of the barrel and which opening, in the rear position of the barrel, is separated by said core from the bore of the barrel and which opening is then in communication with said magazine to permit the gun charge to pass from the magazine into said opening gun having a barrel movable longi-- and into engagement with said core, this core being to the rear of said opening when the barrel is in its forward position to permit of the transfer of the gun charge from said opening to the core of the barrel.

6. A gun having a barrel movable longitudinally of the gun and a spring for moving the barrel rearwardly to move the gun charge in the gun barrel against the firingv abutment of the gun to explode the charge, said barrel being movable forwardly by the explosive force of the charge and against the force of said spring automatically to adjust the springto enable it again to move the barrel rearwardly to move a succeeding charge in the barrel against the firing abutment of the gun to explode the succeeding charge; in combination with a magazine for the gun charges and a forwardly spring pressed core in the barrel and along which core the barrel is movable, said core carrying a primer receiving socket at its forward end that is positioned forward of the firing abutment, the core being rearwardly movable, upon rearward movement of the gun barrel, with respect to the firing abutment to permit the rearwardly moved gun charge to engage the firing abutment, said barrel having an opening in its side that communicates with the bore of the barrel and which opening, in the rear position of the barrel, is separated by said core from the bore ofthe barrel and which opening is then in communication with said magazine to permit a gun charge to pass fromthe magazine into said opening and into engagement with said core, this core being to the rear of said opening when the barrel is in its forward position to permit of the transfer of the gun charge from said opening to the core of the barrel.

7. gun having a barrel movable longitudinally of the gun; a spring for moving the barrel rearwardly to move the gun charge in the gun barrel against the firing abutment of the gun to explode the charge; and a trigger automatically engageable with said barrel when the barrel is in its forward position to prevent the spring from functioning, in combination with a magazine for the gun charge and a forward spring pressed core in the barrel and along which .core the barrel is movable, said core carrying' a primer receiving socket at its forward end that is positioned forward of the firing abutment, the core being rearwardly movable, upon rearward movement of the gun barrel, with respect to the firing abutin its forward position to permit of the,

transfer of the gun charge from said opening to the bore of the barrel.

8. A gun having a barrel movable longi-- tudinally of the gun; a spring for moving the barrel rearwardly to move the gun charge in the gun barrel against the firing abutment of the gun to explode the charge, said barrel being movable fo/wardly by the explosive force of the charge and against the force of said spring automatically to adjust the spring to enable itfagain to move the barrel rearwardly to move a succeeding charge in the barrel against the firing abutment of the gun to explode the succeeding charge; and a trigger automatically engageable with .said barrel when the barrel is in its forward position to prevent the spring from functioning, in combination with a magazine for the gun charges and a forwardly spring pressed core in the barrel and along which core the barrel is movable, said core carrying a primer receiving socket at its forward end that is positioned forward of the firing abutment, the core being rearwardly movable, upon rearward movement of the gun barrel, with respect to the firing abutment to permit the rearwardly movedI gun charge to engage the firing abutment, said barrel having an trpening 1n its side that communicates with the bore of the barrel and which opening, in the rear position of the barrel` is separated by said core from the bore of the barrel and which opening is then in communication with said magazine to permit a gun charge to pass from the magazine into said opening and into engagement with said core, this core being to the rear of said opening when the barrel is in its forward A/osition to permit of the transfer of the gun charge from said opening to the bore of the barrel.

In witness whereof. I hereunto subscribe my name this 8th day of October A. D.,

- HARRY A. DOUGLAS. 

